When the fine print becomes the fight

By Jason Hancock | Editor-in-Chief

Good morning,

Three stories today, three versions of the same statehouse habit: trying to solve one problem without creating another.

Senate budget writers want to tap money meant for Missouri Capitol renovations to shore up school funding — a move the governor isn’t sold on. A long-sought bill for childhood sexual abuse survivors is stuck again, tangled up with limits on other civil claims that opponents say make survivors leverage in a broader fight. And legislators had to scramble this week to patch a crime bill the governor already signed after discovering its errors could create a dangerous gap in criminal sentencing.

by Rudi Keller

The Senate wants to tap money reserved for Capitol renovations to shore up education funding, but Gov. Mike Kehoe and House budget leaders are wary of using one-time cash for an ongoing problem.

by Steph Quinn

A proposal with bipartisan support is stalled over provisions cutting the time Missourians have to file other civil claims, raising a familiar question about what lawmakers are willing to attach to a survivor-focused bill.

by Anika Austvold

Senators moved to correct mistakes in a crime bill signed earlier this month, including one timing error critics said could have left some serious offenses without enforceable penalties.

by McClain Bryant Macklin and Kay Park

In a healthy democracy, the will of the people must be heard, and when they are ignored, people have the right to hold politicians accountable.

Thanks for reading The Daily Independent. Did you know our weekend digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.